Vattayappam (steamed rice cake)

Ingredients:

• Soaked Raw Rice – 1.5 cups

• Freshly grated Coconut – 1.5 cups

• Cooked Rice – Handful

• Yeast – ½ tsp

• Salt – ½ tsp

• Sugar – 2 tbsp

• Cardamom seeds – 4-5 nos

• Jeera – a pinch

• Water as required.

• Oil to grease
  

Method:

• Soak raw rice for about 2 hours. 

• Add the soaked rice, cooked rice, coconut (1 cup), and yeast, sugar and salt into a blender. Add water to just cover the ingredients and pulse to make a thick batter.

• Add the remaining coconut and cardamom seeds (remove skin), jeera, and grind it for another minute.

• Pour it into a steel / glass bowl and let it rest for 2 hours. The batter will ferment and rise.

• You can use a cake pan or a plate with raised side walls. Grease with oil. Sprinkle niuts and raisins (optional)

• Pour the batter to fill 3/4th the depth of the pan.

• Boil water in a steamer. Place the pan into the steamer and close it. Cook for 20 minutes.

• Insert a tooth pick to check if the cake has cooked. Also notice the sides coming off a bit.

• Invert the pan, cut the cake into pieces and serve hot.